Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Republican Story

The Republican Party's election day celebrations were spoiled Tuesday night when it was announced that Democratic President Barack Obama had defeated the Republican candidate Mitt Romney by a count of 303 electoral votes to 206.

The Republicans of the Cedar Valley were invited to the Pipac Center on Tuesday night to watch the election pan out. The reception room slowly filled with people after kickoff at 8:00 P.M. There was food, drinks, and much talk of the years to come. Two giant screens projected Fox News' live coverage of the election with a podium set on a stage in between them should anyone decide to speak.

Throughout the night, one could feel the mood go from hopeful to defeated as the devout Republican voters were forced to wait and watch the electoral votes fall to Obama. That is all that some did was wait, while others made small talk and watched their children play on the floor.

Some of the guests however, were more outspoken and willing to talk to reporters without being asked. "If Obama wins, I'm filing for social security tomorrow," said Dodie Jones, a former Democrat turned independent voter. When asked why the change she replied "I would say I am more 'anti Obama' than pro Romeny." She finished the topic by saying "The Obama administration is going to ruin social security."

Students from UNI talk to Republican candidates

Ms. Jones, whose husband, Gary, lost his health insurance due, according to them, to Obamacare, had much to say on the matter of Chuck Grassley even though he wasn't up for election. "He and his wife are just such nice people. We've know them for the longest time, actually we have a recipe from his wife that we use on Christmas," she explained.

Judd Saul, head of the Cedar Valley Tea Party, was also in attendance. A self proclaimed "political trouble maker," Judd was adamant that "socialism just doesn't work." He went on to say that "if President Obama were to be reelected, then that is where the country is going to end up."

Bob McCabe, a Republican party activist and poll worker, walked right up to students and told them that "I would be worried if I were you. For me, I just have to work for a few more years and can live off retirement. You folk have to live through this." "In the short term, I'm concerned about the debt. In the long term, I'm concerned about this country's pathetic education system." McCabe then proposed a scenario to college students in which he would present them with datat and challenge them to not just read it, but to interpret it as well. He was convinced that if such an event occurred that they would be unable to do so with their level of education.